about racism

[Xcalibur]

Pardon my french, as i'll make many errors
( i do speak french, ironic, huh? hehe)

when i was young, from like 5 to 15 (i'm 25 now) my town was peaceful.
Peaceful to the point that there was a murder in like 6 months, and we are the third largest city in Quebec (around 800,000 total).
Peaceful to the point that when i was old enough, i was walking outside at 1-2 am and didn't feared anything or so.

At my school, we were 2000 total, there was MAXIMUM 10 blacks and 50 asians.

I'm exagerating a bit, but i want that to be clear

But all changed. Now there's black people everywhere, everywhere. Asians even more. To the point that one day, in a bus, I was feeling very bad, there was around 15 black and i was the only white. They looked at me with a hateful glare.

This is new to me, i never experienced so much culture in my city, and i'm feeling a bit nervous about it. My son will live that, and will be normal for him, but me?
My best buddies when i was younger were from Nicaragua and cambodge.. Now you can't even approch them to ask the time, they immediatly look at you as if you were about to rape them.

I'm not the only one feeling like that, almost all my friends feel.. uneasy...
Am i racist? any suggestions|experiences?

[Black Jesus]

ever hear of white flight? it's your friend.

[Black Jesus]

racism, as far as i'm concerned is acting upon prejudice when it is formed solely from race. if i see a black guy dressed as a typical 'gangsta' i'm going to assume he is a scumbag and obviously keep my eye out. conversely if i see a black guy that is just an average joe, i pay little attention to him.

you cannot control how you feel, but you can control what you do. that determines the racist.

[Red Devil]

i have a suggestion, carry a knife

[Bestatte]

I agree with Black Jesus, but I'll add another factor:

Your *intent* also determines whether or not you're a racist, or simply someone who experiences fear in the face of new things to his environment.

What I mean is, just being nervous or uncomfortable on a bus means you are nervous and uncomfortable, placing you in the "prejudiced" category. And who in the world is -not- prejudiced toward *someone?* We all have our tolerances and we all have our intolerances, our "comfort zones" and our "discomfort" zones.

But when you start walking around with a knife, or ask the bus driver to let you off at the nearest most-white stop, or stop taking the bus altogether and begin your journey to seclusion, that's when your prejudice turns to racism. Because you are intending something with your fears, even if you aren't acting directly against what scares you.

If it makes you feel any less uncomfortable, I grew up in an all-white neighborhood and attended a mostly-white public school til I hit Junior High (6th grade in the States). Our Jr. High was located in a mostly black neighborhood and the culture shock was..well.. a shock to me. Fortunately I adjusted and learned to control my nervousness around people who are different from me. But I also was realistic - there are those who are different, who will "intend" things toward me, because *I* am different from *them.*

So remember that blacks can be racist too, as can Asians, and Puerto Ricans, and Pygmies, and Sephardics, etc. etc.

Everyone has some fear of the unknown or the "different." It's a survival instinct bred into the *human* race. You are experiencing something totally appropriate, given your personal experiences.

Just remember that the people you fear also have some trepidation when they see you, and that deep down, we're really not all that different.

[Black Jesus]

don't be stupid though and try to convince yourself to act like all minorities are ok people though because they all aren't. just use common sense and be aware.

[Neildo]

>>>>don't be stupid though and try to convince yourself to act like all minorities are ok people though because they all aren't. just use common sense and be aware. <<<<

That should apply to everyone in general, not just minorities, in regards to watching out for yourself.

Heh, I'm curious if the word "minority" as it's used with population and race is going to be changed. Cause all I can say is that where I live (SoCal), I'm the minority, and I'm white.

Does that mean people should watch out for me because my minority self is somehow dangerous? Watch out for the white man, we're poison to society! (only the 50+ year old ones in politics are) :P

- N

[Ben]

FACT: The rate at which Blacks commit murder is thirteen times that of Whites; Rape and assault, ten times. These figures, as given by the F.B.I. reports, vary somewhat from year to year but fairly represent the trend for the past decade.

FACT: According to the Justice Dept, 1 in every 4 Black males between the ages of 20 and 29 is currently in prison or on probation or parole.

FACT: Though only 12% of the U.S. population, Blacks commit more than half of all rapes and robberies and 60% of all murders in the U.S.

FACT: Approximately 50% of all Black males will be arrested and charged with a serious felony during their lifetime.

FACT: A Black person is 56 TIMES more likely to attack a White person than Vice Versa.

FACT: Black rapists choose White victims over half (54.9%) of the time, 30X as often as Whites choose Blacks.

FACT: The annual report from the Department of justice shows that when Whites commit violence they do it to Blacks 2.4% of the time. Blacks, on the other hand, choose White victims MORE THAN HALF the time.

FACT: In New York City, any White is over 300 TIMES MORE LIKELY to be assaulted by a gang of Blacks than is a Black by a gang of Whites.

FACT: Many people argue that high Black incarceration rates show that police center enforcement at Black crimes and ignore white-collar crimes. However, Blacks commit a disproportionate number of white-collar offenses as well. In 1990, Blacks were nearly 3 times as likely to be arrested for forgery, counterfeiting, and embezzlement as Whites.

FACT: Many people believe that crime is a product of poverty and lack of "advantages." However, the District of Columbia, which enjoys the highest average annual salaries and is second only to Alaska in personal income per capita, leads the nation in just about every category of crime including murder, robbery, aggravated assault, and vehicle theft. D.C. also has the country's strictest gun control, highest police costs per capita, highest ration of police and correctional officers per citizen, and highest rate of incarceration. Its permanent population is over 80% Black. West Virginia, which has the nation's lowest crime rate, suffers from chronic poverty and has the highest unemployment in the U.S. It also has the fewest police per capita. West Virginia is over 96% White.

[CrystalTears]

Where are you getting these "facts" from?

You need to start stating your sources.

[Ben]

Whites & Blacks
100 FACTS
(and one Lie)
By Roger Roots

[Xcalibur]

I'll sound red neck, don't get me wrong at the basis... I respect black people that don't put their color as an excuse or a reason.

Here's it's like 50% of the black that are bellow 30 years of age that are on the "social help" (government pays you since you don't work)..

I think i'll just move out, there is really much more crimes than when i was younger...

[Caels]

I'm closing this thread since it borderline violates our ToS. Its much easier to close this subject now instead of dealing with possible repercussions. No one is being warned for this, but in the future, please use care when discussing sensitive topics.